Trowel



Patented Apr. 24, 1934 TROWEL Shleemon J. Ameer, Yonkers, N. Y.

Application May 13, 1933, Serial No. 670,833

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in plastering-trowels for the use of masons, cement finishers and kindred artisans and more particularly it refers to a novel combination trowel which permits usage as a trowel for the middle area of flat surfaces as well as for concave rectangular corners thereof. According to common practice up to date two diiferent kinds of tools are being used, the usual flat blade trowel, provided in most cases with a handle, jointed to and extending outwardly from the rear edge of the blade and a second trowel-like instrument provided with a rectangular gauge for smoothening and finishing the inner corners of a room or a projecting pilaster, as the case may be. The craftsman either has to change the trowel used for these cases or, more often, has to use both hands, each manipulating either one of these diiferent tools.

This invention makes it possible to use, without interchange, and with one hand only, one and the same trowel for both purposes.

Aside from this useful combination the newly devised trowel affords other advantages and avoids certain drawbacks connected with the common make of ordinary trowels One of these objections to the ordinary kind is that the mortar continually works back from the heel of the blade toward the handle, and if the hand is not especially protected, burns and cracks the fingers,

causing them to become sore and painful. This is efiectively avoided through my construction.

Other advantages also will be pointed out.

Accordingly the primary object of this invention is to provide a combination plastering trowel, equally serviceable as a flat area trowel as well as a corner trowel.

A second object is to provide a handle for this trowel guarding the operators hand against direct contact with the mortar taken up by and operated upon by the trowel blade.

A third object is to make this handle of such shape and construction that it forms a rigid backing and support for the rectangularly bent blade when the latter is employed as a corner trowel.

A fourth object is to simplify the construction and manufacture of plastering trowels in general so that all forging and moulding of metal parts is avoided which hitherto seemed necessary, substituting a simple flat plate for the more or less irregular and complicated shape, being used up to date. This involves a considerable saving in the manufacturing cost.

A fifth object is to provide simple connecting means between the handle and the trowel plate.

Other objects will become obvious from the detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top view of a trowel, made according to the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, Figure 3 a bottom view, Figure 4 a rear elevation and Figure 5 a front elevation of the same trowel.

In carrying out the present invention, a flat plate 10 which originally represents a rectangular oblong sheet of suitable metal is bent upwardly at right angles across the smaller width in such proportion that the greater part 10a of the area, say about three-quarters, forms the base of the trowel blade, while the remaining area, 101), forms an upstanding heel portion, backed by the handle, presently to be described.

This handle 11, which can be made of wood, forms an arch in the shape of a reversed U, positioned along the middle axis of the oblong trowel blade. The upper or middle portion 11a of this arch has a more or less circular cross section, slightly reduced at the ends at 12 and 13 where it joins the downwardly extending legs, and runs in a horizontal direction, parallel to the trowel blade. It is sufi'iciently spaced apart from the latter to afford clearance space for the fingers of the operator encircling it.

The front leg 11b has a triangular cross section, with an acute front edge, as can best be seen from Fig. 3, showing the base of the legs in dotted lines. The purpose of this formation is to provide a parting Wedge for any mortar masses that may pass over the front edge and gradually accumulate on the blade. Thus the superfluous mortar is diverted from its backward course and redischarged over the side edges. The rear leg 110 forms an approximately semicircular brace, with a fiat rectangular base, reaching across the width of the blade, and with the apex of its arch 14 flush with the middle portion 11a of the handle.

The periphery of the upturned blade portion 10b is trimmed to coincide with the semi-circular edge of the rear leg 110 which thus forms a rigid backing and reinforcement of the blade heel.

At the same time this winged rear portion of the handle forms a hand guard against any mortar which with the backward stroke of the trowel might otherwise crowd over the heel edge of the trowel as happens with the ordinary kind of masons trowels.

A sufiicient number of countersunk screws 15 loo is provided to securely fasten the wooden handle to the metal blade.

It is thus seen that all the listed objects of the invention are attained in a simple and inexpensive way.

The craftsman may use the trowel in an ordinary way for finishing flat areas while his hands are guarded from corrosive contact with the mortar. Using the same hand and the same trowel he will find the heel portion of the blade handy and efficient for finishing inner corners.

The working part of this combination trowel is cut from a standard steel plate or other suitable metal and requires no forging, welding or moulding.

It is understood that many modifications of the described invention are possible without deviating from the principles explained and that the form and construction shown is to be taken as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent as a new and improved article of manufacture, is:

1. A plastering-trowel having a blade, bent upwardly at the heel end to form a perpendicularly ascending portion, and a handle comprising a horizontal manipulating portion, a descending front leg adapted to be attached to the horizontal portion and a rear leg, adapted to be attached to the perpendicularly ascending portion of the blade, said handle forming a backing and reinforcement of the blade.

2. A plastering-trowel comprising a blade and a handle attached to said blade, the forward portion of said handle being of wedgelike formation in cross section with the edge on the front part of the handle to cleave portions of plaster impinging thereon to turn said portions of said plaster from the hand of the operator.

3. A plastering-trowel having a blade bent upwardly at the heel end to form a perpendicularly ascending portion, a wall extending substantially throughout the extent of said perpendicularly ascending portion to reinforce the same, and a handle secured to said wall and to said blade for manipulating the trowel.

4. A plastering-trowel having a blade and a handle for manipulating said blade, the portion of said handle adjacent said blade having a cleaving edge positioned forwardly of the body part of the handle for separating portions of plaster impinging on said handle during manipulation of said blade.

S. J. AMEER. 

